South Bend Tribune
SPIN IT BACK
SOUTH BEND — Once a year, as working Americans snooze in bed, vinyl enthusiasts wake before sunrise on the third Saturday of April. Morning twilight illuminates figurelike shadows and phone screens light up patiently-waiting faces as people line up in...
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The high cost of U.S. health care
In announcing its “Great Healthcare Plan” in January, the Trump administration became the latest in a long history of efforts by the U.S. government to rein in the soaring cost of health care. h As a physician and professor studying the intersection of...
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Area Holocaust survivor subject of ‘Magic Lantern’
In 1994, Marijke Brown received a letter that touched off a 30-year journey into a past she had never known about — how the Dutch Resistance had saved her from the Holocaust during World War II. It also led to “The Magic Lantern,” a documentary film...
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KENNEDY PARK REVAMP
Located on Olive and Westmoor streets, Kennedy Park is getting major improvements, including a new pool, playground and athletic courts following the closure of the park’s current playground after being deemed outdated. Public Works Director of...
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Beau Bayh speaks at Democrats’ Dyngus Day
SOUTH BEND — St. Joseph County Democratic candidates and residents gathered at M.R. Falcons on Monday, April 6, to celebrate South Bend’s annual Dyngus Day. Secretary of State Democratic candidate Beau Bayh’s message to voters had a few themes:...
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Burri King owners traded retirement for a new business
SOUTH BEND — Alejandra and Jose Botello dedicated most of their lives to the University of Notre Dame. For 35 years, Alejandra woke up at 3 a.m. to get to her job as a housekeeper on university grounds at 4 a.m. When Jose retired, it opened up a whole...
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TEACHERS OF THE YEAR
MISHAWAKA — It was a normal Thursday morning for Mishawaka High School English teacher Christie Buchmann, until she and her students heard a song playing through the school hallways — a song with Buchmann’s name in it. “My students heard all that...
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Real life hits home for former Marian players
For the third time in five days, and twice only hours apart, your thoughts rolled back to that magical basketball night at Marian High School. h That Friday night in February 2025 with a sellout crowd in the bleachers, parking in the cramped lots at a...
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Trump funding cuts axed nutrition program
If the government had found a way to save $10 for every dollar it spent helping low-income people get healthier, wouldn’t it make sense for it to keep doing that? Well, that’s exactly what the U.S. government did when it piloted the SNAPED program in...
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Redevelopment board OKS housing development
The Redevelopment Commission approved a new low-income housing project at its March 11 meeting for vacant land that the city has owned since 2010. Named the Heartwood Commons, the upcoming 50-unit apartment complex with gated parking is expected to be...
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SYMBOL OF PEACE
Accompanied by her grandfather, Swanson Traditional School fourth-grader Nora carried signs and palm branches, sang hymns, and chatted with other girls from her church as she and 150-175 people participated in a Palm Sunday Faith Action walk March 29...
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Residents express concern and dislike for interchange
NEW CARLISLE — Two dozen residents gathered at New Prairie High School on March 30 to give their input on the proposed intersection improvements at Indiana 2 and Larrison Boulevard/strawberry Road at a public hearing hosted by the Indiana Department of...
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Thousands gather downtown for No Kings
A young boy from Granger sat with his back against a tree, and a book between his hands. The world around him was loud with the chatter of protesters and the supportive honk of seemingly every vehicle that passed by. Sam Gallwitz was reading “1984” by...
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What to know as prom, graduation season nears
With spring officially here, it’s almost time for prom and graduation season in St. Joseph County. Proms will start in late April, and high school and college commencements will kick off in mid-may through June. Keep an eye on The Tribune’s website in...
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New& improved
The South Bend Cubs’ Four Winds Field at Coveleski Stadium has seen $48 million in renovations over the past 17 months in preparation for Opening Day on Friday, April 3. The most notable change fans will see as they file in Opening Day is a new upper...
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Trump delays strikes on Iran power plants
The Pentagon is weighing sending an additional 10,000 troops to the Middle East as the war with Iran rages, multiple news outlets reported. It remained unclear when a decision will be made on whether to send the additional combat soldiers, according...
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Summer school options available for area students
SOUTH BEND — With the school year quickly wrapping up, South Bend schools is offering several summer school opportunities for students to continue learning over break. The district provides summer classes and programs for students of all grade levels,...
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Downtown demo begins
The former Press Ganey and River Glen office spaces located downtown on the west bank of the St. Joseph River will be demolished in 2026 for housing and mixed-use riverfront-oriented development. The South Bend Redevelopment Commission authorized $1.7...
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No Kings protests coming to South Bend
SOUTH BEND — No Kings 3 will occur downtown on Saturday, March 28. The nationwide protest is the third since June 2025. No Kings movement organizers oppose what they call “the increasingly authoritarian actions of Donald Trump and his...
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‘It has to stop’
SOUTH BEND – Around a week ago, Riley High School principal Shawn Henderson sat down his entire freshman class to inform them that a member of their graduating class was killed in an act of gun violence. “I have to make sure I take mental notes and...
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South Bend caterer to be guest chef at Pacers game
SOUTH BEND — Soulful Kitchen owner Laquisha Jackson is set to be the Keybank Guest Chef at March 25’s Indiana Pacers game against the Los Angeles Lakers. A member of the South Bend Regional Chamber’s Forty Under 40 Class of 2021, Jackson runs Soulful...
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Notre Dame study highlights benefits of online education
The landscape of higher education changed dramatically when the COVID-19 pandemic began, as colleges and universities turned to online learning to help ensure students and faculty stayed safe. The switch to digital classes brought its share of...
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Coalition suing to restore EPA finding
Twenty-five attorneys general, 12 cities and counties, and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro have formed a coalition to challenge a recent decision by President Donald Trump’s administration to revoke the Environmental Protection Agency’s landmark climate...
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City prepares for Morris project phase three
SOUTH BEND — The Redevelopment Commission approved a $2 million budget request for the design and site preparation required for the upcoming Morris Performing Arts Center parking garage. The parking garage, according to Growth and Opportunity Assistant...
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HOWARD PARK UPGRADE
Howard Park is getting a new upgrade as the city plans to build a high-performance, covered outdoor stage. The South Bend Redevelopment Commission approved $250,000 for design costs during its March 12 meeting. Joseph Molnar, assistant director of...
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New Hums Elementary project stays on schedule
Construction on School City of Mishawaka’s new Hums Elementary School is underway, with the $41 million project expected to finish in August 2027 despite winter weather delays. Patrick Alander, a project manager from construction company F.A. Wilhelm,...
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St. Patrick’s Day events around South Bend
SOUTH BEND — The skies may have been gray and the temperatures chilly, but spirits were high as South Bend celebrated St. Patrick’s Day with its annual parade, greening of the St. Joseph River and, with plenty of corned beef, at St. Hedwig Memorial...
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A ‘championship team’ got Peters to the finish line
SOUTH BEND — Former University of Notre Dame basketball star Devereaux Peters has learned to pivot and adapt well. She’s needed those skills since she announced plans to build The Monreaux in downtown South Bend in 2022 as she’s faced one setback and...
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‘The courage to express themselves’
For several decades, the South Bend Museum of Art has participated in the Scholastic Art Awards, giving seventh- to 12th-grade students the opportunity to participate the nation’s longest-running art competition. h Students across 19 northern Indiana...
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Library hatches ‘Early Birds’ literacy program
SOUTH BEND — The St. Joseph County Public Library is incubating a new early literacy program. This month, the library will introduce Paige, the mascot for its new early literacy program, Early Birds. But before Paige hatches, the public can watch for...
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City to demolish Elwood Shopping Center soon
Residents should say goodbye to the Elwood Shopping Center and Portage Sunoco Garage as the city plans to start demolition by March 20. The Elwood Shopping Center, which used to be home to a Martin’s Super
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‘Be proud of who you are’
Fifth district Common Council member Sherry Bolden-simpson gave a “public service announcement” at the March 9 council meeting urging community members to be mindful of “showing our children what we should do in a community.” Her announcement came...
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Apothica Teas
NILES — Apothica Teas staff member Griffin Holmes stops into tea shop every week with Derek Larson, Gene Holmes and Stephen Shustar to chat over steaming bottomless pots of black tea with vanilla and caramel flavors and nutty pistachio pu’ers. Rocking...
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The anatomy of a wrongful conviction
SOUTH BEND — In the wake of Reggie Dillard’s release from prison after 27 years a spotlight has been put on the national systemic injustices that have led to thousands of innocent individuals serving time for crimes they did not commit all around the...
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Committee to address racial disparities in school discipline
The South Bend Community School Corp. board says a new committee will help it address racial disparities in student discipline, but some community organizations say the committee would work to identify racial inequity that’s already welldocumented...
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Trump demands Iran’s unconditional surrender
President Donald Trump demanded Iran’s “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER” in a social media post the morning of March 6, insisting “there will be no deal” to end his 7-day-old war with the battered Persian Gulf power. The president added in a social media post...
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Lou Holtz dies at 89
SOUTH BEND — Lou Holtz, the harddriving coach who in 1988 became the last to lead Notre Dame football to the national championship, died Wednesday, March 4 in Orlando, Florida. He was 89. Multiple media outlets reported on Jan. 29 that Holtz was in...
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Iran war could have an impact on U.S. economy
Oil prices jumped and global stocks stumbled immediately following U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran and Tehran’s retaliation, but economists say the war will likely not have much impact on the Federal Reserve’s upcoming interest rate decision. For...
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STRIKES HIT U.S. EMBASSY
The United States ordered nonemergency government personnel and their family members to leave Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Iraq and Jordan and closed several diplomatic missions across the Middle East on March 3 as the war with Iran escalated. The move...
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South Bend Black History honorees ‘embody’ change
SOUTH BEND — Eight portraits told the story before anyone spoke a single word. Lining the stage at Century Center on Thursday night, Feb. 26, the images greeted attendees while honoring the night’s awardees: all Black champions for the South Bend...
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Champion pizza maker to open location on Eddy St.
SOUTH BEND — By the end of this year, South Bend residents won’t have to travel to Elkhart to get a taste of the pizza at Osteria Amici. Navarre Hospitality Group and Paul Cataldo, who jointly opened the original location at 240 E. Jackson Blvd. in...
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‘It’s reality, and we can transform our community’
Hardie Blake had worn many hats during his lifetime — student, soldier, businessman, mentor and pastor. h Although he’s worn some of those hats longer than others and a few have been stacked on top of each other for years, Blake said focusing on unity...
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Clinton depositions show changed Democratic Party
WASHINGTON – In late February 2016, Hillary Clinton cruised to an overwhelming victory in the South Carolina Democratic presidential primary – an unambiguous statement of the former first lady and secretary of state’s dominance over her party as she...
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Zoo sets attendance mark
Nearly 410,000 people visited Potawatomi Zoo in 2025, breaking every attendance record the zoo held previously. In just six years, the zoo has just about doubled its attendance from 211,303 attendees in 2019 to 409,776 in 2025. In the 10 years that...
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‘It’s a tough business’
Lasalle Grill is closing its doors after Wednesday night after almost 35 years as one of downtown’s anchor restaurants. South Bend resident and longtime Lasalle Grill customer Bridget Howe Kronewitter told The Tribune that she found out about the...
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‘WE DID IT!’
Reggie Dillard served 27 years in prison for a murder he didn’t commit. As he walked out of Elkhart County Correctional Complex, he stood with his shoulders back and his head held high Monday, Feb. 23. h “Ladies and gentlemen, we did it!” Dillard said...
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Meeting on immigration fills Goshen Theater
GOSHEN — A Goshen College student held back tears as she read a classmate’s story to a silent, attentive crowd. “You see, I carry my U.S. passport because I have been granted the privilege to have one, though, just like the dollar, I feel like it’s...
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Local historic Black Greek organizations highlighted
SOUTH BEND — Proudly modeling their organizations’ colors through their clothing and legacies through their poise, members of South Bend Divine Nine chapters sat side by side at the St. Joseph County Public Library on Feb. 11 to discuss the history of...
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‘It’s more than a radio station’
SOUTH BEND — Over the years, the technology at WUBS-FM (89.7) has evolved, with vinyl records and cassette tapes making way for CDS, flash drives and, now, fully digital broadcasting. But Program Director Shane Williams says one thing that hasn’t...
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UZIMA! founder dies at 60
Kelly Burgét, founder and artistic director of UZIMA! Drum and Dance Company and a beloved host of South Bend television programs for more than two decades, died Feb. 6. She was 60. Also known locally as Kelly Morgan until her marriage to Todd Burgét...
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‘HIS LEGACY LIVES ON’
Oletha Jones met the Rev. Jesse Jackson several times in the early 2000s, but, she said, the most memorable interaction was when she had the chance to cook for him after he spoke at the former Marriott Hotel in downtown South Bend. h Jones, education...
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STICKY SWEET
NEW CARLISLE — Soon there will maple syrup at Bendix Woods County Park. St. Joseph County Parks held its annual “Tapping Day” on Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. Below freezing temperatures at night with above freezing temperatures in the day are ideal...
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Community turns out at Winter Walk
SOUTH BEND — Kate Lee has been participating in the St. Margaret’s House Winter Walk for nearly 30 years. “They do work for women and children in our community every day, empowering them, welcoming them, supporting them through the victories and...
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Gift to pay for chapel and ministry center
SOUTH BEND — Holy Cross College at Notre Dame has announced a $2.25 million commitment to support two new sacred spaces on campus. The anonymous gift includes $750,000 designated to fund a residence hall chapel and $1.5 million to support the Center...
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‘The shop belongs to everybody, not just me’
Editor’s note: In honor of Black History Month, The Tribune is profiling an established Black-owned business each week. Hidden on the northwest side of town is a pillar of community, a place of style and a piece of local legacy. For 56 years, Al’s...
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Report: U.S. inflation ticked down in Jan.
Inflation cooled a bit more than forecasters expected in January, with prices rising 2.4% from a year earlier, the Labor Department said Feb. 13. The report, which was delayed two days because of a brief government shutdown, revealed that inflation...
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Bergamot to ‘spin a tale of love’ with SBSO
More than two decades ago, Jillian Speece made a mix tape for her valentine — a compilation of Billy Joel songs that would serve as the soundtrack as she and Nathaniel Paul Hoff marked their first Valentine’s Day together with a road trip. That...
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‘WE’RE THE NEW GENERATION’
SOUTH BEND — Drivers traveling through downtown around noon Feb. 9 might’ve noticed a small group of about 25 students huddled in front of the South Bend City Hall chanting, “No justice, no peace, no ICE in our streets.” South Bend Purdue Polytechnic...
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SCIENCE COMES ALIVE
In a crowded auditorium, a hush falls on the children in the room as a handler from Potawatomi Zoo holds a bird and describes what it hunts in the wild and tells the children about its endangered status. h Suddenly, the kids start arguing over what...
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‘FIRE & ICE’
SOUTH BEND — Ice shavings flew through the air as nine carvers made works of art out of blocks of ice Feb. 6 during Downtown South Bend Inc.’s “Fire & Ice” First Fridays event. Along Michigan Street, one sculpture depicted a dinosaur, another created...
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Colfax Corner project could add 700+ jobs
SOUTH BEND — The South Bend Tribune’s former building may be getting a facelift, with the possible creation of 400 full-time jobs and 340 temporary construction jobs to go with it. But one member of the South Bend Economic Development Commission...
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Wigfall Barbershop owner Ms. Adeline still cuts hair every day at
Before Adeline Wigfall-jones went to barber school or even got her first job in South Bend, she thought she was sick. Turns out all she needed was a reason to get up every day. h “I went to my doctor. I told him all I do is sleep. I can hardly wake up...
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Driver accountability urged for seat belt use
DETROIT – On the morning of Jan. 6, 2024, Detroit resident Paradise Warsaw experienced a brutal car accident alongside her daughters, Lyliah Williams and Payden Pinson. The details remain fuzzy even a year later, but Warsaw, 30, recalls spinning out...
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Building demolition to allow new housing
SOUTH BEND — The city is one step closer to demolishing three vacant properties at Portage and Elwood avenues to build new housing and commercial activity in their place. The Board of Public Works received quotes from various demolition and excavating...
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MEET RHETT
As sports fans debate whether the Seattle Seahawks or the New England Patriots will win Super Bowl LX on Feb. 8, another athletic competition has its own important questions left to be answered, particularly for local dog lovers: Will Rhett bring a win...
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New year brings board changes
As January draws to a close, the boards of St. Joseph County’s public school corporations have all had their first meeting of 2026, welcoming back the returning board members and voting on a slate of officers for the year. Although no trustees were...
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Public works meeting to open bids, quotations
SOUTH BEND — The South Bend Board of Public Works began its 9:30 a.m. Jan. 27 meeting with a six-page agenda and multiple coffee mugs. The meeting was intended to open bids and quotations for new projects while also approving a few. Residents can...
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‘NO ONE ELSE IS GONNA DO IT’
MISHAWAKA — Penn High School junior Emily Monroy-huerta didn’t know what to expect when she decided to invite some fellow students to participate in a school walkout on Friday, Jan. 30, to protest U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). So when...
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City of South Bend developing Ai-driven approach to utilities
SOUTH BEND — The City of South Bend is a finalist in an international competition that challenges local cities to think creatively about their municipal services. South Bend’s project would integrate artificial intelligence into the city’s 311...
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Shutdown is still possible, despite DHS compromise
Lawmakers appeared to be closing in on a deal endorsed by President Donald Trump to avoid an extended government shutdown, but a key player said a brief government closure may be inevitable as there still was work to be done Jan. 30 as funding was set...
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Rokita investigates habitability at Karl King
Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita’s office has launched an investigation into habitability issues regarding Karl King Riverbend Tower apartments and is currently holding negotiations with the owners. Portage Township Trustee Jason Critchlow filed a...
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‘It is a problem’
Black students are more likely to face discipline in South Bend Community Schools than other students. The school board is establishing a committee to identify what’s causing the disproportionality. During a board meeting on Monday, Jan. 26, board...
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‘REFUSE TO BE SILENT’
Over 100 community members braved the freezing weather Sunday, Jan. 25, to hold a candlelight vigil in the wake of the killing of Alex Pretti by a Border Patrol agent in Minneapolis on Saturday. h Attendees gathered around the Studebaker Fountain in...
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Winter hits South Bend
Expect Sunday's and Monday's snow — along with the weekend's below-freezing temperatures — to continue Tuesday and through the week in the South Bend region. The city saw an average of 6 inches of snow this weekend, according to the National Weather...
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Beat the cold with a warm meal and drink
SOUTH BEND — Winter Restaurant Weeks in downtown South Bend continues through Feb. 8, just in time for the coldest weeks of the winter season thus far. For the next two weeks, specific independently owned restaurants located in the downtown area will...
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